Stroll ruled out of media day following 'infection'

Lance Stroll has been dispensed of his media duties with Aston Martin on Thursday at Zandvoort, as the Canadian recovering from an infection according to his team.

However, Aston Martin insisted that Stroll's race weekend was not in jeopardy.

Drivers tasks on media day involve meetings with the press as well as the usual team track walk and technical briefings.

"Lance is recovering from an infection and will therefore miss media duties today," read a brief statement from Aston Martin.

"He is fit and well and will compete at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix," added a spokesperson for the Silverstone-based outfit.

• Read also: Aston Martin banking on Dutch GP upgrades to boost performance

Stroll is no stranger to disrupted preparations ahead of a race weekend in F1, having missed the entirety of pre-season testing earlier this year following a nasty cycling accident that left the 24-year-old with two crushed wrists.

But Stroll was able to beat the clock and line up on the grid in Bahrain for F1's opening round of 2023.

However, it hasn't been an easy campaign year-to-date for the Canadian who so far hasn't been able to race on a par with his teammate Fernando Alonso, a shortfall that has inevitably penalized Aston Martin in terms of its battle in the championship with its direct rivals, Mercedes and Aston Martin.

The emerald-green team currently sits third in the Constructor's standings with 196 points, or 51 points behind Mercedes while it hold a meager 5-point advantage over Ferrari.

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